Your Monthly Yoga Pose

Virabhadrasana III

It is the third month of the year: March. A month named after Mars, the Roman god of war. We look forward to spring and festivals. The weather begins to change, and, in my opinion, it is the best time to be in Central Florida. For the third month, the month named after a Roman warrior, we will practice one of my favorite poses, Warrior Three.

According to B.K.S. Iyengar, Virabhadrasana III, or Warrior Three, conveys harmony, balance, poise and power. He recommends it for runners as it gives vigor and agility. I find the pose to give me the sense of flying without leaving the ground.

Virabhadrasana III

1. Begin in mountain pose, or standing.
2. Come into crescent lunge or a high lunge pose, where both hips are facing forward, the right leg is bent in front, and the left leg is about four feet behind with the left toes on the ground under the left heel.
3. Lift your arms overhead and relax your shoulders down your spine. Feel as your naval comes closer to your spine with your exhale.
4. Take a full inhale, and as you exhale, hinge from the hips and bring your torso parallel to the ground. Continue to keep the left toes on the ground.
5. On your inhale, press the right leg to straighten and lift the left leg to parallel. Feel as if you are kicking your left heel toward whatever is behind you. Your body should resemble a one-legged table.
6. Release the left hip toward the earth so that both hips are parallel to the floor.  
7. Feel a long line of energy from the fingertips and crown of the head to the left heel. Imagine you are being stretched by either end.
8. Continue to bring the naval toward the spine with each exhale and feel the shoulders come down the spine.
9. Stay for 8-10 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Arm Variations for Warrior Three:

1. Repeat all the steps above, but bring the hands clasped behind you and allow them to lift you and open your shoulders.
2. Repeat all the steps above, but bring the hands to the heart in prayer position.
3. Repeat all the steps above, but place your hands on your hips.

Variation Using a Chair or Wall for Warrior Three:

1. When beginning the pose, place a chair or stool 2-3 feet in front of you. Otherwise, stand 2-3 feet facing a wall.
2. Repeat steps 1-8, but place your hands on the chair, stool or wall for balance.
3. As you gain your balance, place only your fingertips.

For more tips on Warrior Three and other yoga poses, follow me on Instagram @namastewithnatalia

Namaste.

Natalia Foote is the owner of threeR, a company bringing mindfulness, meditation and yoga practices to the workplace. Her mission in life is spreading love and light in the world. When not spending time with her family, you can find Natalia taking and teaching yoga all around Lake Nona.